Electro-therapeutic belt



(No Model.)

W. L. L. & W. J. PIERCE.

ELEGTRO THERAPEUTIC BELT. No. 371,356. Patent ed 001;. 11, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT CEFIcE.

\VILLIAM L. L. PIERCE AND IVILLIAM J. PIERCE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRO-THERAPEUTIC BELT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 371,356, dated October 11, L887.

(No model.)

To 00% whom it may concern.-

Be it k nown that we, WILLIAM L. L. PIERcE and \VILLIAM J. PIERCE, citizens of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Therapeutic Belts; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of our said invention, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, that form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in therapeutic belts which are composed of a number of galvanic elements joined together in belt form and with the poles connected to exposed plates, disks, or electrodes that are adapted to be brought in contact with the body of the wearer.

Our improvements in respect thereof consist in producing an element for batteries of this character by bending up and folding to gether plates or strips of dissimilar metals in the novel manner hereinafter described and in uniting a number ofthese elements by links or couplings in such manner that each link connects unlike metals between one element and its neighbor; also, in a peculiar construction of carrying-belt and fastenings adapted to support the battery and having certain fea tures of adjustability and reversibility by which the battery may be adjusted to be in direct contact with the body or be worn with the belt interposed between the battery and the person; also, in the combination, with a battery formed of coupled elements, as described, of electrodes and reversible connections by which the character ofthe current can be changed,as desired, and either the positive or negative current be directed and brought to either electrode.

The following description fully explains the nature of our said improvements and the manner in which we construct, apply, and carry out the same to produce an improved belt. the drawings being referred to by figures and letters.

Figure l is a perspective view of a belt constructed according to our invention, the front strap being broken away to expose parts that Fig. 2 shows in side view a portion of the supporting-belt at one end. Fig. 3 shows an edge view of the same. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through view Fig. 2, taken on a center line through or x. Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 illustrate the construction of the battery elements, Fig. 5 being an edge view of an element in complete form; Fig. 6a perspective view of the element partly folded into form; Figs. 7 and 8, views of the two plates of dissimilar metal partly bent into shape before being placed together; Fig. 9, a section longitudinally through the plates after they are laid together preparatory to being folded into shape.

The carrying-belt A is formed of inelastic;

materialsuch as webbing or similar fabric and is provided with supporting-loops B 13* on both sides or faces and at points in front and at the back, through which the metallic belt or battery proper is slipped, as seen in Fig. 1. At the front and just back of each end of the webbing beltis fastened, by lines of stitching c c, an elastic strap, D, provided with a buckle, D on the outer end and a ring or loop, D", on the opposite end. In the belt, at a point about in line with or near to this loop end, is a rc-enforced eyelet-hole, E, large enough to allow a hook or catch with which the end of the batterybclt is furnished to be passed through and take the loop. The battery composed of the coupled elements G is of such length that its two ends connect directly to the ends of the elastic straps D, and by means of the metallic hooks H H, to which are attached the end elements, the loops D form the terminals of the battery when the hooks are sprung into these loops.

Byprovidingthe eyelet holes Eat the points indicated the battery can be shifted from the outside to the inside of the webbing belt to bring it directly in contact with the body of the wearer, as it will be seen that by passing the hook H on the end of the battery-belt out through the hole E connection is readily made with the elastic strap D. Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate the position of the parts and fastenings when the battery is placed on the inside of the webbing belt. The battery is therefore kept properly stretched or at a suitable tension to preserveconnection between one eleand with the same fastenings and connections.

Between the outer ends of the two elastic straps an elastic strap, I, completes the supportingbelt and forms the means for tightening it around the body, as well as for adjusting it to different sizes of waist.

The electrodes N and P are metal disks loosely attached by books It to the webbing belt at the back and to the elastic strap I at the front. Each one is connected with its end of the battery, the one N with the negative and the other, P, with the positive end by an insulated wire cord, L or L". These cords have spring-hooks m m on the ends, and are connected by them to the loops D or the hooks H, whichconstitute the terminals of the metallic belt. To change thedirection of the galvanic current, therefore, and reversethe electrodes it is only necessary to detach the cords at the ends at and m and connect them to opposite terminals, bringing the cord L, Fig. 1, for instance,-from the left-hand end of the battery over to the right-hand end and changing the cord L in the same manner.

The manner in which we construct the ele ment G will be clearly understood by referring to Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the drawings.

It is composed of two strips of dissimilar metmanner that loops or knuckles are formed' to take coupling-links, and these, as well as the plates, are firmly held and secured without solder and without the use of fastenings of any kind. The strip 9, forming the outer plate of the element, is cut somewhat longer than the strip h, that sets inside, to allow for flaps g and g at the ends. These are bent back upon the strip and in the same side, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9, and the one 9' is also formed at the bend into a loop or knuckle, like the loop of a hinge, to take around the link R. The two metal strips 9 h are cut of the same width, but the one h is somewhat shorter, to fit in between the turned-over ends of the outer plate. Before it is laid to the plateg the flannel s is placed upon the strip and its ends are turned over the metal at both ends to properly insulate the strip at those points where the outer strip overlaps it. These three parts'ghsthus laid together are then bent over at the line a (see Fig. 9) to form the hook end 9 and then again at the line b, to complete the desired shape. When constructed in this manner, each element hasa link permanently butloosely confined at one one end and a hook at the opposite end. A number of elements are then readily coupled together by setting the hook end of one through the link of the next ele ment, so that the link rests in the bend of the plates. By this means 'the plates are held without fastenings of any kind and the elements arejoined together in a strong and durable manner.

The whole construction is simple and does not require any preparation or getting out of the plates or blanks by machinery; neither are there any pins or screws to work loose or soldered joints to break.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isg 1. In a galvanic belt, the combination, with 'themetallicbelt orbatterycomposed of coupled elements, of the supporting-belt A, having carrying-loops on both sides, and theelasticstraps "D D, with buckles and metallic loops or connections D D and having the holes or openings through it at the front, as described.

' 2. The non-elastic supporting-belt for a galvanic battery, consisting of the non elastic webbing belt A and the elastic straps D D, provided with buckles and metallic connections D D" on the inner ends and having the loops on-the inside and the outside and the holes or apertures, as described.

3. In combination with the battery formed of looselycoupled elements, as described, the inelastic or webbing belt A, the elastic straps D D, secured at ornearits ends, the couplingstrap I, the loops D" D on the straps D, and the hooks on the terminals of the battery.

4, In combination with thebattery composed of coupled elements, as described, and a noneonducting supporting-belt, the disks N P. suspended from the non-conducting belt, and the conducting-cords L L each connected to its disk at one end and to the terminals of the battery at the other-end by hooks or metallic detachable connections.

5. A galvanic element for batteries of the character described, consisting of the plates 9 h, of dissimilar metals, separated by the insulating-strips s and laid together and bent or folded, substantially as specified, to form the loop at one end and the bend at the other end.

6. The herein-described galvanic element, formed of strips of dissimilar metals of different lengths with interposed strips of flannel or other suitable material, the outside plate being bent over upon the inner plate at both ends and the two plates folded together, sub stantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands and seals.

\litniesses:

CHA's. D. VVHEAT, (3. W. M. SMITH.

IIS 

